Article of furniture

ABSTRACT

An article of furniture in which a load bearing top platform, a supporting column assembly, and a base for the column assembly are constructed for knockdown assembly. The column assembly consists of a plastic sheath molded onto a metal reinforcing sleeve in a manner to obtain a secure grip and the sleeve is formed to prevent possible slippage of the sheath and to engage the base in load bearing relation so that the column assembly and base act as a unit assembly.

llnited States Patent [191 Gusdori et a1.

[H] [45] July 3, 1973 ARTICLE OF FURNITURE [75] Inventors: WalterGusdorf; Charles Francis Camilleri, both of St. Louis, Mo.

[73] Assignee: Gusdorf & Sons, Inc., St. Louis, Mo.

[22] Filed: Feb. 2, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 222,906

[52] US. Cl 108/150, 248/158, 108/139,

248/415 [51] Int. Cl A47b 13/02 [58] Field of Search 108/139, 150, 158,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,222,739 4/1917 De Chime248/158 1,394,070 10/1921 Difi'any 248/158 2,276,588 3/1942 Michelson248/415 X 3,200,554 "8/1965 Goodman et a1. 52/727 Primary Examiner-JamesMitchell Anorney-Frederick M. Woodruff et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT An article of furniture in which a load bearing topplatform, a supporting column assembly, and a base for the columnassembly are constructed for knockdown assembly. The column assemblyconsists of a plastic sheath molded onto a metal reinforcing sleeve in amanner to obtain a secure grip and the sleeve is formed to preventpossible slippage of the sheath and to engage the base in load bearingrelation so that the column assembly and base act as a unit assembly.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEnJuLs 1915 saw 1 or 2 FIG. 3

ARTICLE 'OFFURNITURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relatesto improvements in the construction of articles of furniture, and toarticles of furniture of knockdown character capable of assembly by theultimate purchaser.

The art of furniture manufacture has been heretofore largelyconcentrated in the woodworking field. While wood has been a primematerial, the art has slowly advanced in the use of mixtures of wood andmetal, and in some types of furniture metal has played an importantrole. On the other hand plastic materials have been developed whichoffer good prospects for substituting for wood, except that theknowledge of how to employ plastic substitutes has not been adequatelyadvanced.

It is, therefore, a prime object of this invention to disclose certainimprovements in the art of applying plastic materials to substitute forwood as the quality of wood suitable for furniture has been reducedsignificantly.

The technique of molding plastic materials has advanced to the statewhere surface finishes can duplicate wood, but the incorporation ofplastic into structural components of furniture has not been successfulup to now. In the present disclosure plastic material is usedsuccessfully when reinforced with metal components so that load bearingcapability has been achieved, and unity of assembly is possible. Sinceplastic materials are generally moldable under heat and varying degreesof pressure, care must be exercised to avoid internal stress andallowances for shrinkage must be observed to be successful.

The present improvement is directed to a new and unique combination ofreinforcing plastic material so that the plastic can be made toprovidedesired surface finish and assume loads so that the use of plasticmaterials can accomplish what wood has accomplished in the past, therebyeffecting economies in the cost of manufacturing furniture andconserving the supply of wood for other uses.

The objects of this invention are to provide improved and uniquestructural combinations of reinforced plastic components for furniture;to combine plastic material with metal reinforcement so that asubstantial unitary component can be obtained; to obtain reinforcedplastic components that can be used as load bearing members infurniture; to advance the application of foam molded plastic materialsto a wide variety of furniture components; to apply foam molded plasticmaterial as substitutes for wood components in furniture; and to providea new concept in knockdown furniture construction using plasticcomponents.

A preferred embodiment of the article of furniture comprises a loadbearing platform and a base interconnected by a column assemblyemploying a hollow reinforcing member within an .outer molded plasticsheath which are integrated to act as a unit for supporting loadsimposed on the platform.

It is also preferred in constructing .an article of furniture to formthe load bearing member between a top platform and a base with a foamedplastic sheath and a hollow reinforcing sleeve in which the sleeve isseated in a base socket and draws the sheath into-substantially solidabutment on the base so as to prevent the possibility of slippagebetween the sheath and sleeve.

In a form of the invention the article of furniture may be a pedestalstand comprising a load bearing top platform, a molded plastic basehaving a socket therein opening upwardly, a column assembly having anupper end formed as a socket and a lower end bearing on the base andextending into the base socket, a swivel assembly connected to theplatform and having a depending sleeve removably seated in the socket ofthe column, and detachable means connecting the column ex- BRIEFDESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the presentinvention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of one preferred embodiment of anarticle of furniture in the'form of a pedestal stand showing the severalcomponents thereof;

'FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the column assembly taken atline 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the base component taken at line 3-3 inFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the swivel component connectingthe load bearing top platform to the column assembly, the view beingtaken at line 44 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged and fragmentary sectional view of the assembly ofthe base and column; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of a baseand column assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1 the articleof furniture is presented in the form of a knockdown (KD) assemblycomprising a load bearing top platform 10 providing an area forsupporting such objects as. a television receiver. The top platform 10is provided with a swivel assembly 11 comprising a plate 12 adapted tobe connected to the central area of the top platform 10 by securingmeans 13 penetrating holes 14 in the platform 10 and matching holes 15in the plate 12. The plate 1 carries a depending sleeve 16.

Acolumn assembly 17 (FIG. 1) comprises an outer sheath 18 covering ahollow reinforcing sleeve 19 which extends through the sheath 18 from atop end socket 20 to an outwardly extending bottom portion. The bottomend of the sleeve 19 is provided with spaced threaded prongs 21 forsecuring the column assembly 17 to a base 22. The base 22 is providedwith a central raised boss 23 formed with a shoulder 24 surrounding theopcning of a socket 25. The extending bottom portion of the reinforcingsleeve 19 is adapted to fit into the socket 25 such that the threadedprongs 21 extend through the bottom of the socket and are secured bynuts 26.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the column assembly 17 is seen to include thesheath 18 having a hollow reinforcing sleeve 19 extending from thesocket 20 to a portion 19a extending beyond the bottom end of the sheath18. At the bottom end of the sleeve portion 19a are a pair of spacedprongs 21, each secured by a flattened end portion 27 to the inside ofthe hollow sleeve 19 so that the threaded portion projects therebeyond.In constructing the column assembly the hollow reinforcing sleeve 19formed of a suitable metal is supported in a suitable mold cavity by itsprojecting end portion 19a and by a mold support forming the socketrecess 28. The mold forms a cavity surrounding the sleeve and is of anysuitable form such as the tapering form shown. A suitable plasticmaterial, as polystyrene and a foaming agent are injected into thecavity to surround the sleeve 19 and shrink thereon for a tight grip.The end of the sleeve 19 at the socket 20 is formed with a flaredprojection 29 which extends outwardly to grip the molded sheath and alsoform a smooth lead-in surface to the socket opening 20. At the oppositelower end of the sheath 18 there is formed a first enlarged shoulder 30and a second axially projecting shoulder 31 having an outer slightlyconical surface of the order of 6. A simple circular section for thecolumn assembly is shown. However, the sheath 18 may have any desiredsurface configuration for the style of furniture stand chosen.

The advantage of the column assembly 17 of FIG. 2 is that the hollowreinforcing metal sleeve greatly strengthens the assembly and reducesthe amount of plastic material needed. The foaming of the plasticmaterial yields an exact surface configuration of the intewhile thethreaded prongs 21 extend through the apertures 35 in the bottom wall 34and prevent turning of the sleeve 19a. The fit of the column assembly 17in the base socket is such that the shoulders 24 and 30 carry thevertical loads and working motion between these surfaces is checked bythe projections 32. The projections 32 may, of course, be formed oneither shoulder 30 or 24, though they are shown on surface 24. Thesecond shoulder 31 acts to center the column sheath 18 so that itmatches the boss 23 and resists lateral loads. The mounting of the nuts26 (FIG. 1) on the prongs 21 draws the sleeve 19 down whereby the flaredupper end 29 (FIG. 2) of the reinforcing metal sleeve 19 acts to drawthe column sheath 18 into tight engagement of its enlarged shoulder 30on the shoulder 24 of the base boss 23. Also, the flared upper end 29prevents the molded plastic sheath l8 sliding or creeping relative tothe sleeve 19 under temperature variations to which the furniture standmay be subjected.

Turning to FIG. 4, the swivel assembly 11 includes a plate 12 attachedas shown in FIG. 1 to the top platform 10. The depending sleeve 16 ofthe assembly 11 is formed of a suitable plastic material, as Delrin, andis reinforced by an internal metal tube 36 which is projected upwardlythrough the plate 12 and is secured by welds 37 as shown. The bottom endof the tube 36 is flared at 38 to form means to retain the sleeve 16when the swivel assembly 11 is withdrawn from the socket 20 of thecolumn assembly 17 (FIG. 1). The use of Delrin rior shape of the moldused in its manufacture, and re- 1 duces the need for final surfaceclean-up, except for the removal of the flash formed at the mold partinglines. When the mold surface is configured to simulate a wood grain itis extremely difficult to tell if the column assembly is other than woodwhen visually inspected.

In FIG. 3 there is shown the base 22 formed by molding methods to have awood grain surface finish to match the surface of the column assembly 17above described. The base 22 is provided with a raised boss 23 contouredto slope upwardly to a shoulder surface 24 encompassing the opening ofthe socket 25. The shoulder surface 24 is formed with one or more (twobeing shown) projections 32 which are adapted to bite into the matchingshoulder 30 at the bottom end of the column sheath 18 (FIG. 2). Theprojections 32 prevent noise which may occur when the column assembly 17is subject to lateral or bending loads, or when the load on the topplatform 10 is asymmetrical in nature. The base socket depends from theelevation of the shoulder 24 and is formed with a conical wall 33 havingits small diameter at the bottom closure wall 34, The wall 34 isprovided with apertures 35 to receive the threaded prongs 21 carried onthe projecting end 19a of the reinforcing sleeve 19 in the columnassembly 17 (FIG. 2).

In FIG. 5 there is seen the preferred manner for connecting the columnassembly 17 to base 22. When the first column sheath shoulder is engagedon the shoulder 24 of the base boss 23, the second shoulder 31 fits intothe socket opening 25 so that the taper of the shoulder 31 matches thetaper of the conical socket wall 33. The reinforcing sleeve portion 190is sized to fit the bottom of the conical wall 33 of the base socket,

for the sleeve 16 allows the assembly 11 to be easily inserted into orremoved from the socket 20, and it also allows swivelling of the topplatform 10 relative to the column assembly 17. The outer surface of thesleeve 16 may be formed with vertical ribs 16a to reduce the surfacecontact within the hollow sleeve 19 of the column assembly 17, but suchribs do not detract from the nicety of fit or the swivelling action.

When the article of furniture requires a more massive column assemblythan that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred alternative is to formthe column as is shown in FIG. 6. Here the column assembly 39 is moldedwith a pair of reinforcing sleeves 40 extending therethrough. The base41 must be formed with an enlarged boss 42 so that a pair of sockets 43may be provided. In other respects, the modified assembly of FIG. 6possesses the same important features heretofore described in connectionwith the structure of FIGS. 1 to 5 inclusive. Swivelling of the topplatform is, however, prevented by the requirement for a pair ofdepending sleeves on the underside of the platform. The massive size ofthe column assembly 39 requires the use of two hollow sleeves to reducethe amount of plastic material needed, as well as to meet the need forcooling the plastic material in those areas of greatest thickness ormass. It is also recognized that a single hollow sleeve of anappropriate shape (rectangular, oval, elliptical and the like) may beused in place of the two sleeves as the column assembly 39 increasesbeyond the convenient size of FIG; 2.

The foregoing description has set forth preferred structuralrequirements for the improved article of furniture, and the embodimentschosen for presentation herein are those of pedestal stands. Other formsof furniture may come to mind in which the present details of structureof knockdown type furniture may have ready usage.

What is claimed is:

ll. An article of furniture comprising a load bearing top platform, amolded plastic base having a socket therein opening toward saidplatform, a column assembly having an upper end connected to saidplatform and a lower end engaged on said base at said socket, and meansdetachably connecting said column lower end within said socket, saidcolumn including a molded plastic body having a shoulder at its lowerend, metal reinforcing means in said molded plastic body having aportion projecting beyond the lower end of said body and extending intosaid base socket, said body shoulder engaging with said base socketadjacent said socket opening and said projecting portion of saidreinforcing means engaging with said socket adjacent its bottom toresist lateral forces on said column from asymmetric loading on said topplatform.

2. The article of furniture of claim 1 wherein said molded plastic bodyis high impact polystyrene foam molded about said metal reinforcingmeans, and said metal reinforcing means is formed with a shoulderengaging on said molded plastic body adjacent its upper end.

3. The article of furniture of claim 1 wherein said top platform andcolumn assembly connection includes a depending sleeve attached to saidtop platform and sized to extend into said column assembly and engagedwith said metal reinforcing means, and said metal reinforcing means isformed with socket adjacent the upper end of said column assembly toslidably receive said depending sleeve.

4. The article of furniture of claim 1 wherein said molded plastic bodyhas a second shoulder at its lower end sized to fit within and engagethe interior of said socket opening, said projecting portion of saidreinforcing means abuts with said socket adjacent its bottom, and saiddetachable connecting means engages said socket at its bottom andprevents column rotation.

5. In a pedestal stand having a load bearing top platform, a columnsupporting said top platform, and a base engaged by said column, theimprovement of a socket in said base having a conical wall smaller indiameter adjacent its bottom and a shoulder at its open top end,reinforcing sleeve means in said column having a bottom projectingportion extending into said conical socket and engaged with said conicalwall adjacent its bottom, said column having a shoulder surrounding saidreinforcing sleeve and sized to match said socket shoulder, and meansdetachably connecting the projecting portion of said projecting sleeveportion to the bottom of said socket and drawing said column shoulderinto abutment with said socket shoulder.

6. The improvement of claim 5 wherein said means connecting said columnsleeve projecting portion to the bottom of said socket includes spacedthreaded prongs extending through said socket bottom to prevent turningof said column relative to said base.

7. The improvement of claim 5 wherein said column is formed with aprotuberence on said shoulder sized to extend into the open top of saidsocket and bear against the conical wall.

8. The improvement of claim 5 wherein said reinforcing sleeve is formedwith a shoulder spaced from said bottom projecting portion and engagingwith said column.

9. The improvement of claim 5 wherein said one of said column and socketshoulders is formed with spaced projections to bite into the other ofsaid shoulders to maintain said shoulders in alignment.

10. An article of furniture comprising a load bearing top platform, amolded plastic base having a socket therein with an open top and a sidewall tapering to a small end at the bottom of the socket, a columnassembly being a molded plastic member with a metallic sleeve embeddedtherein and having an upper end formed as a socket and a lower endextending into said base socket and formed with a shoulder upwardly fromthe lower end in position engaging on the open top of the socket, a topplatform connected means engaged in said upper end socket, the lower endextending into and engaging the base socket adjacent the bottom thereof,and detachable means connecting said lower end of the column assemblywithin said base socket to retain said column shoulder abutted on saidsocket open top and said opposite end portion engaged in said basesocket to resist lateral forces on said column assembly from asymmetricloading on said top platform. =3

1. An article of furniture comprising a load bearing top platform, amolded plastic base having a socket therein opening toward saidplatform, a column assembly having an upper end connected to saidplatform and a lower end engaged on said base at said socket, and meansdetachably connecting said column lower end within said socket, saidcolumn including a molded plastic body having a shoulder at its lowerend, metal reinforcing means in said molded plastic body having aportion projecting beyond the lower end of said body and extending intosaid base socket, said body shoulder engaging with said base socketadjacent said socket opening and said projecting portion of saidreinforcing means engaging with said socket adjacent its bottom toresist lateral forces on said column from asymmetric loading on said topplatform.
 2. The article of furniture of claim 1 wherein said moldedplastic body is high impact polystyrene foam molded about said metalreinforcing means, and said metal reinforcing means is formed with ashoulder engaging on said molded plastic body adjacent its upper end. 3.The article of furniture of claim 1 wherein said top platform and columnassembly connection includes a depending sleeve attached to said topplatform and sized to extend into said column assembly and engaged withsaid metal reinforcing means, and said metal reinforcing means is formedwith a socket adjacent the upper end of said column assembly to slidablyreceive said depending sleeve.
 4. The article of furniture of claim 1wherein said molded plastiC body has a second shoulder at its lower endsized to fit within and engage the interior of said socket opening, saidprojecting portion of said reinforcing means abuts with said socketadjacent its bottom, and said detachable connecting means engages saidsocket at its bottom and prevents column rotation.
 5. In a pedestalstand having a load bearing top platform, a column supporting said topplatform, and a base engaged by said column, the improvement of a socketin said base having a conical wall smaller in diameter adjacent itsbottom and a shoulder at its open top end, reinforcing sleeve means insaid column having a bottom projecting portion extending into saidconical socket and engaged with said conical wall adjacent its bottom,said column having a shoulder surrounding said reinforcing sleeve andsized to match said socket shoulder, and means detachably connecting theprojecting portion of said projecting sleeve portion to the bottom ofsaid socket and drawing said column shoulder into abutment with saidsocket shoulder.
 6. The improvement of claim 5 wherein said meansconnecting said column sleeve projecting portion to the bottom of saidsocket includes spaced threaded prongs extending through said socketbottom to prevent turning of said column relative to said base.
 7. Theimprovement of claim 5 wherein said column is formed with a protuberenceon said shoulder sized to extend into the open top of said socket andbear against the conical wall.
 8. The improvement of claim 5 whereinsaid reinforcing sleeve is formed with a shoulder spaced from saidbottom projecting portion and engaging with said column.
 9. Theimprovement of claim 5 wherein said one of said column and socketshoulders is formed with spaced projections to bite into the other ofsaid shoulders to maintain said shoulders in alignment.
 10. An articleof furniture comprising a load bearing top platform, a molded plasticbase having a socket therein with an open top and a side wall taperingto a small end at the bottom of the socket, a column assembly being amolded plastic member with a metallic sleeve embedded therein and havingan upper end formed as a socket and a lower end extending into said basesocket and formed with a shoulder upwardly from the lower end inposition engaging on the open top of the socket, a top platformconnected means engaged in said upper end socket, the lower endextending into and engaging the base socket adjacent the bottom thereof,and detachable means connecting said lower end of the column assemblywithin said base socket to retain said column shoulder abutted on saidsocket open top and said opposite end portion engaged in said basesocket to resist lateral forces on said column assembly from asymmetricloading on said top platform.